Tag: sunshine

Day 11

'A Poetic Potter & A Potting Poet'Leave a comment
Lydia with her food ball this morning. She is very skilled at rolling it around with her nose to release the contents

Continuing the story of Lydia and Me https://amzn.eu/d/99yW3Qk

The Buddhist teaching last night was about ‘patient acceptance’, this being the opposite of anger.

I have been working on patient acceptance for some time, and also been struggling with anger.

In his book, ‘How to Transform Your Life’, the Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche says that “We need to think about our own faults because if we are not aware of them we will not be motivated to overcome them.”

I have been motivated to overcome my fault of anger and continue to be motivated to do so; never more so in my life than I am now. Meditating helps.

The benefits of meditating in a group, for me, are significant. That doesn’t mean that I can’t and don’t benefit from meditating on my own, but there is something about a group meditation that I find has a calming effect, at a very deep level.

Today, I don’t feel angry.                

It’s now early evening.

I had a lovely walk with Lydia this morning, then met up with a friend and sat outside in the sunshine, then met up with another friend and had a walk with her and her dog. I think that all adds up to a very good day. I am very lucky, to have had such a good day, today.

Lydia is lying quietly outside.  It’s very peaceful here.

Day 5

'A Poetic Potter & A Potting Poet'Leave a comment

‘Social Example’ a collage by Maggie Baker, 2001

Continuing the story of Lydia, Me and our Family of Three https://amzn.eu/d/99yW3Qk

Yesterday was a good day, until it wasn’t.

I received some bad news as a bolt out of the blue, and it hit hard.

It could be argued that I could have foreseen it coming, but I didn’t.

The calm, peaceful mind I’ve been cultivating was suddenly no more. I was angry.

I know anger is a negative emotion, and the teachings of Buddha tell me that it arises from self-cherishing delusions; having more regard for myself and my own needs than for those of others.

I do accept this, in principle. In practice, yesterday my anger arose and was a long time abating.

As I continue to learn how to train my mind – and my heart – anger is something that I need to and will address. I’m going for growth.

Today, on my walk with Lydia, I am still aware of anger. It feels like it is pervading my whole body.

I have concerns that Lydia will pick up on this, but she doesn’t seem to have done.

We are in a quiet spot with no immediate triggers. Lydia is calmer today than she has been on this same walk for some time.

She walks to heel with a loose lead most of the way, and I reinforce this with food rewards and praise.

It rains a little bit but neither of us minds. Then the sun comes out.

I’m going to visit friends this afternoon. It will be another good day. And this time I believe the good feeling will stay, at least for longer than it did yesterday.